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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-26-2006 04:42 PM

administrator

This is also a great place to begin your search and you're supporting this website at the same time:

There are always a good number of boats around Oriental (where we have a slip). Currently probably 10-20 boats in your price/size range (even a $30k Tiburon with no standing or running rigging, speaking of your project boat). If you search NC in yachtworld you'll ge a good feel.

05-26-2006 03:32 PM

wawrzynskivp

Hey Devil Dog listen up: get the most boat you can afford, period. The second law of thermodynamics means you lose everytime you upgrade, don't think about it like real estate (unless your callsign is 'slick').

My first boat was a 45' Morgan and I'm still very happy with her. I recently thanked the fellow Marine who told me ten years ago: 'get the most boat you can afford.'

In your current sailing venue i would try to limit your maximum draft to 5'-6" with 5 feet or less being quite convenient.

In the soft mud of South Carolina I would avoid a wing keel.

With the rapid currents I would try to find a boat with a reasonable turn of speed or you will spend your life motoring.

If you plan to single-hand offshore I would look look for a boat with a displacement that is in the range of 5,500 to 11,000 lbs with the upper end of the range being better than the lower since you visualize long legs.

Since your dockage is cheap where you are, and you plan to go offshore, I would look for a boat that has a comparatively long waterline length and comparatively short ends, even of that means that you end up with a 35 or even 38 footer.

Given that you prefer taking longer offshore legs, I would suggest that you try to find something a little more robust than a Catalina.

Good luck,
Jeff

05-25-2006 10:44 PM

sailingdog

Another good reference to read is the Practical Sailor Magazine's two-volume boat buying set.

05-25-2006 06:57 PM

jared

Christopher-
The "on base, in service" marina rates you are entitled to are a great benefit. Just be warned, staying anywhere else is gonna be a rude surprise on the east coast if you aren't familiar with marina rates.

I'd suggest taking some "bareboat" or "passagemaking" course with a good sailing school, both will teach you more about small boat systems and how to inspect and maintain them yourself, and you'll usually find the staff very willing to go into more detail with you, and discuss liveaboard issues as well.

Even if you have no interest in it, I'd also suggest a beginning and intermediate racing course, because racing carries over into a crusier's lifestyles--when you need to get back against tide and wind for reveille, THAT'S RACING and the performance sailing tricks you learn, will work just as well when you're only racing the clock.

Again, the staff and the other sailors you meet, will be a good source of information.

But a Marine actually *doing* something on a boat, instead of being carried by it? Isn't that against the Joint Operations rulebook?

05-25-2006 05:47 PM

arja

boat.com and surveyor

I'd also look under www.boat.com and check out prices, location and type/size of sailboats. You can reference reviews of any boat you are interested in on Sailnet and boat.com. Before you buy, clearly a surveyor should be used for your protecion and understanding of any weaknesses the boat or its equipment has, which will help establish a fair price. To single hand, I'd make sure any vessel has gps, radar, autopilot, head sail roller reefing and main reefing, self tailing winches and a windless. I might also consider a cutter with two head sails roller reefed to permit easier sail management. Good luck in your search. You should check out Oriental NC, the self described sailing capital of NC for possible boats as well.

05-25-2006 05:20 PM

sailingdog

I would recommend a boat in the 28-35 foot range. Anything longer will be much more expensive to both maintain and store. Dock and marina fees are based on the length of the boat, and the size of a lot of the gear goes up with a larger boat, and so does the cost of maintaining and replacing it... like sails, rigging, hardware, etc. Also, boats larger than this become a bit much to single-hand, unless specifically equipped for such use.

A survey is an excellent idea. But get your own surveyor, not one recommended by the seller or seller's agent. A boat broker may or may not be a good idea. Generally, IMHO, they're not quite as useful for people looking for lower cost boats, as they have less incentive to really help you find one to buy.

A couple more good magazines to get are Good Old Boat and Spin Sheet.

05-25-2006 04:50 PM

maxbumpo

I'll second the recommendation for a survey. I'd also add that you may want to consider the services of a boat broker.

I think that the Naval Academy has a boat re-selling office, to pass on boats that are donated by former alumni and to raise non-profit money - check them out, they had a website when I looked a couple years ago.

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